In a thrilling match, Australia defeated Pakistan by two wickets in the opening One-Day International on Monday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The Kangaroos had to struggle against the Pakistani bowling unit to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series after the Green Shirts set a modest 204-run total.
Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short, the hosts’ openers, were dismissed in four overs with just 28 runs scored, giving them a shaky start to the chase.
However, a strong 85-run combination between Josh Inglis and Steve Smith gave Australia the upper hand.
However, Australian captain Pat Cummins (32*) persevered to support his team throughout the match despite Haris Rauf taking three wickets and Shaheen Afridi taking two.
